


A Brighter Moon

by caterplina



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Cock Warming, Infertility, Knotting, M/M, Minor mention of a dead animal, Rimming, Threesome - M/M/M, minor description of blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 05:45:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9586220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterplina/pseuds/caterplina
Summary: To become the Alpha of the pack, Chanyeol must choose a second mate at the ascension ceremony. The trick is finding someone that both he and his first mate agree on because Chanyeol would never choose anyone without his approval.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thesockmonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesockmonster/gifts).



The cold seeps into Chanyeol’s fur as he trots towards his tent. It’s one of the biggest and not one of the warmest. This winter is cold, too cold, with all the consequences that brings, less animals to hunt, dead bushes and plants, very little food to survive with. It’s taken a toll on the pack; some members left, others passed away. The Elders’ Council has done what they can, but it’s been a rough winter.

When he reaches the opening of the tent, he shifts back into his human form, leaving the wolf for later. He steps in shivering, looking forward to sharing heat with his mate. But all he sees inside the tent is a mound of pelts and furs in the middle. A short movement from beneath it plus the scent of sandalwood that permeates the air tells Chanyeol that Minseok is there. 

Smiling, he walks up to the furs and leans down. He sees the fabrics are held by a couple of trunks and Minseok’s light brown hair coming out from underneath a fur. Chanyeol can’t help but laugh at how cute that is.

“Don’t laugh at my misery,” comes Minseok’s muffled voice.

“I wasn’t.” Chanyeol shakes his head. “Why don’t you just shift?” he asks, crawling inside with his mate.

Minseok’s face pops up, bright eyes and a gummy smile on his face. “I wanted to try this. A tent inside a tent.” Then, he pulls the fur covering his naked body aside and gestures to Chanyeol. “Come, warm me up.”

Chanyeol lifts an eyebrow. “I can do that,” he whispers before throwing himself at his mate. The sudden move makes one of the trunks shake and fall. “Oops,” is all he gets to say before the furs above fall and cover them. 

Tangled like this, naked bodies close, Chanyeol doesn’t care about the lack of air or light. He grabs Minseok’s waist and lowers his head until his mouth meets his mate’s ribs. He trails up covering every inch of skin he can, as Minseok struggles to get free.

“Stop!” Minseok breathes out. Since he doesn’t sound annoyed, only affected, Chanyeol keeps going up, finding his mouth and covering it with his own. They kiss, hands moving as much as they can, body pressed close. When it gets too much, Minseok is the one to break free with a loud gasp. “I need to breathe,” he says, before pushing Chanyeol away and scrambling from under the furs.

When Minseok manages to get out, everything lights up and Chanyeol gets to see his swollen lips, his mussed hair, and he falls in love all over again. The mark on Minseok’s neck is clear and stands out on his fair skin. As much as Chanyeol likes it, he can’t wait until Minseok starts spending more days in the sun.

Chanyeol crawls out and flops on his mate, nuzzling his neck, breathing in the omega’s scent from up close. It's intoxicating in the best way possible; it's home. They lay there until Chanyeol himself starts shivering and decides to cover them both with only one fur.

“You’re not usually this cold,” he tells his mate as he lays on his back and pulls Minseok on top of him.

Minseok looks at him with his chin pressing on Chanyeol’s chest. “It’s winter. It’s cold.” 

“Spring will be here,” Chanyeol sighs, closing his eyes, hoping for the warmer weather to come soon. Then, he feels Minseok tense.

“And so will the heats,” his mate mutters. It stopped being a sensitive topic for them a long time ago. But it still hurts Chanyeol when Minseok talks about heats. Even before mating, they were prepared to not have pups. Minseok’s belly was not the reason Chanyeol chose him. It was Minseok himself and everything he stood for, his strength, his support, his love.

“You’re the best at taking care of the other omegas,” he says pulling his mate closer.

“I know. It’s easier than taking care of you,” his mate jokes before pressing a short kiss on his mouth.

“Don’t be mean,” Chanyeol says, swiftly turning them around and covering Minseok’s body with his own. Before his mate can reply, he starts kissing his mouth, his jaw, his neck, going down. “Still cold? I can warm you up.” Minseok’s reply is a breathy sigh and a strong grip on Chanyeol’s shoulders.

Sometimes Chanyeol likes leaving marks on his mate, red or purple depending on how much he sucks on the skin. Other times he prefers to let his lips slide over Minseok. Or maybe licking the skin and blowing on it to feel him squirm beneath Chanyeol. This time he chooses to skip all of that and go straight down, where Minseok’s cock lays half hard in between his legs.

When Chanyeol takes it in his mouth, not even stroking it first, Minseok hisses loudly and his legs tense up. Chanyeol holds his hips down in case he thrusts up. His mouth can take most of Minseok’s cock, it covers him almost entirely. That's how he leaves his mouth, full.

“So that's what you meant by warming me up?” Minseok asks through gritted teeth. His cock’s filling with blood, hardening inside Chanyeol’s mouth.

“Mhm,” he hums and the vibrations make Minseok thrust up.

“Suck me,” his mate sighs, hands leaving Chanyeol’s shoulders and moving to his hair. “Please, Alpha.”

Chanyeol sucks without any warning, pulling a cry out of Minseok. He moves his head up, sucks on the tip of his cock and goes down again. Each time he sucks, Minseok moans loud. Each sound travels down to his own cock, hard just from pleasing his mate.

Minseok’s hands tug his hair before pushing him down and his legs tremble as he releases in Chanyeol’s mouth. Mouth full of come, Chanyeol pulls out, careful not to spill on the furs, and swallows down, eyes never leaving Minseok’s flushed face and glazed look.

“What a great alpha you are,” Minseok tells him, pulling him up to lay by his side, a hand brushing his hair. “Always taking good care of your omega.”

“Taking good care of my mate,” he feels the need to correct. It's not just the alpha in him looking after an omega. It's Chanyeol caring for Minseok, his mate.

“Mate,” Minseok says with a hooded, dark look. “Let me take care of you.” Chanyeol feels his hand travel down to reach his still hard cock.

 

[***]

 

The main tent is a place for meetings and any sort of private celebrations. That’s where Chanyeol is headed. He was called by the Elders to discuss his Ascension Ceremony, a very important event to mark Chanyeol’s right to the role of Alpha of the pack. He has earned that role with pride through strenuous tests.

After shifting into his human form, he’s greeted inside by the few men that make decisions while the pack is without an Alpha. The men all come in contact with him, a hand on his shoulder, another takes his own hand. They all behave as if Chanyeol were already the Alpha.

“Chanyeol,” one of them speaks first. Minwoo is of short stature, but has the remnants of what used to be a strong body; he used to be the second-in-command of the previous Alpha. Minwoo invites him to take a seat on the floor. All of the men settle down in a circle. “We look forward to having you as our leader.”

Chanyeol sits down with his legs crossed, hands linked in front of him. Then, he smiles at Minwoo and all the men present. After all the hard work he put into passing each and every test, being acknowledged like this is an absolute privilege.

“We’re very pleased with everything you’ve done.” Hyesung was there to observe Chanyeol when he was learning to take care of the omegas of the pack. Even if Chanyeol was already mated back then, he had to learn all about the necessities of the omegas. It was an important part in the role of the leader, being aware of the pack he would lead. 

Choongjae is sitting right next to Dongwan. The alpha was the one who observed their hunting skills. That day Chanyeol caught a deer, in the middle of winter. He still doesn’t know if it was because of his skills or pure luck. Minseok keeps telling him that he has a strong sense for hunting.

“Most of all, we are pleased with your relationship with the rest of the pack,” Dongwan explains. “You’ve surprised us with how well you know the members and how much they trust you. We consider that one of your most important attributes.”

Pride fills Chanyeol as he hears their words. He doesn’t know everyone in the pack, since there have been a few new additions. Some more wolves have joined the pack, but Chanyeol did play an important part in helping them acclimate to it. A few of them were too reserved for him, though he guessed that he could get them to open up in time.

“As you know, you’ll become our leader. We consider that you’re exactly what our pack needs,” Minwoo speaks again. “We need to talk about the ceremony.” He motions at Sunho, the only beta in the Elders’ Council.

“It will start when you walk in. You’ll wait inside this tent until we call you‒”

“On my own?” Chanyeol interrupts. His mind instantly sees Minseok’s reassuring smile. He needs his mate by his side to overcome the nerves.There’s an uncomfortable look in Sunho’s eyes, and Chanyeol promptly apologizes for having interrupted.

“You will be called and swear an oath. Minwoo will teach it to you. Then, once it’s done, you’ll have to cut yourself with your teeth, enough to let some drops of blood out…”

Chanyeol listens attentively. He wants to remember everything as he’s eager to take his role. 

“Chanyeol,” Minwoo tells him quietly. “After that, there’s something else.”

Hyesung continues for him. “We understand you are mated to an omega.” Chanyeol nods, not knowing where the conversation is going. “As you know, the last Alpha left no one behind after he passed away.”

It was a terribly unfortunate event. The passing of their Alpha during summer weakened the pack and left a void that now Chanyeol is meant to fill. The Alpha had been negotiating a territorial dispute with another pack in their limits’ ground, when a different pack attacked. An impromptu alliance between the negotiating packs was enough to stop the attack. But it brought the worst consequence for Chanyeol’s pack. The Alpha died, yet to be mated.

Chanyeol remembers the day. The survivors rushed back quickly, while Chanyeol was in the river, splashing Yixing with water. The sudden scent of blood and fear brought the bad news. It quickly turned the whole pack’s stability around. Chanyeol looked for Minseok, who had been working on newly obtained pelts with Jongdae, when they all arrived. The fear of the bad news stole away their sleep that night, which they spent holding each other close and quietly whispering until dawn. 

“It’s been hard adjusting to the changes,” Hyesung adds. “The neighboring pack were of great help to overcome certain issues.” Chanyeol also remembers the day the new members arrived. All the new scents excited him. “Yet, we need to assure history won’t repeat itself.”

Chanyeol furrows his eyebrows. He can’t see how that would happen, since he already has a mate.

“Minseok’s infertility is an issue to the pack,” Minwoo says. Blood drains from Chanyeol’s face as he registers the words. “No. Don’t‒ don’t get ahead of yourself,” the man tells him lifting a hand in the air, a supposedly calming gesture. “What we ask of you is to pick a second mate. Someone who can get pregnant.”

The whole conversation feels like a jab at Minseok. The alpha in Chanyeol starts to grow irritated; he wants to snap at them and defend his mate. Chanyeol’s arms shake, his closed fists laying on his knees as he focuses on a point in between Minwoo and Chungjae, sight blurry. The men in the tent all share a few looks between each other. 

“The ceremony will end with you picking a second mate. Chanyeol, we count on you to assure the pack’s safety and stability. As a leader, you are expected to put your pack before anything else.” Minwoo looks unmovable.

 

[***]

 

By the time Chanyeol gets back to his tent, the anger hasn’t dissipated. It’s still there simmering under his skin. He didn’t even shift when he left the main tent, he walked steadfastly to his own, not caring about the cold snow under his feet. If Minseok had seen him, he would have scolded him. 

Short, quick breaths. Not much can rile Chanyeol up like this; someone hurting or saying something bad about Minseok is one of things that angers him the most. His mate is the reason Chanyeol is where he is. Minseok was the most supportive when Chanyeol decided to work for the right to be the Alpha. He was with him every step of the way. Choosing another mate makes it seem like Minseok is not enough.

“What’s gotten into you?” comes his mate’s voice from the opening of the tent. Minseok steps inside and grabs a fur by the door that he throws over Chanyeol’s shoulders as he pulls him down on the rest of the furs.

Only then can Chanyeol’s heart calm. He immerses himself in the comfort of sandalwood. He holds onto Minseok’s chest, burying his nose on his mate’s neck. It’s exactly what he needed.

“I had a meeting about the ceremony,” he starts explaining. He speaks, half-hearted mumbling. What he omits is the last part of the ceremony. He doesn’t even finish telling Minseok all of it as he smushes his face on Minseok’s sternum.

His mate laughs, the sound vibrating inside his chest. “You don’t seem excited.” His arms rub Chanyeol’s shoulders and back. “What else did they say?”

Chanyeol takes a deep breath, tickling Minseok’s skin, before lifting his head. “I have to choose a second mate.”

There’s a moment of silence in which they stare at each other. Minseok’s lips part, as if to say something, then he closes them. And they part again. “Did they tell you why?”

“I need to have pups. They don’t want to go through the same problem if anything happens to me.” Minseok’s hands squeeze his shoulders and Chanyeol crawls up. “I won’t. I don’t need anyone but you.”

Then, Minseok’s eyes relax, a soft smile plays on the corners of his lips. “You silly wolf. You have to,” he says, voice a little strained, caressing Chanyeol’s cheek. “As the Alpha of the pack you have to ensure our safety and care in every way possible. Having pups of your own is one way.” Chanyeol’s about to retort. “You won’t leave me. We’re mates, you can’t leave me.” Minseok leans up and presses a short peck on his lips, then rubs their noses together. “I’ll always be your first mate. You’ll just get a second one.”

“Are you okay with it?” Chanyeol is still unsure.

Suddenly, Minseok turns them around, pulling a grunt out of Chanyeol. Like this, with his mate on top of him, staring at him with eyes full of love, Chanyeol feels content. He doesn’t need anything else.

Minseok’s expression is a bit tense. “Not today. I’m not okay today. But I will be.” There’s a hint of sadness in his eyes that evaporates when he smiles again. This time, it’s a wider smile, gums showing. Chanyeol doesn't know what to believe. “And as usual, like with everything else you do, I’ll be by your side helping you.”

Chanyeol lets himself relax against the furs. “I don’t deserve you. What did I do to earn even an ounce of your attention?”

“You’re good at sucking cock and have a nice knot,” Minseok tells him with a playful smirk on his face.

Chanyeol bursts out laughing. Minseok can go from a mature mate to a hormonal wolf way too fast. There’s never a dull moment when they're together.

 

[***]

 

The omegas are by the river. It’s not unusual to find them there, either cleaning furs or just mingling with their feet on the water. Of course, since it’s winter the water is freezing and none of the omegas dare to touch it. Minseok and Jongdae are the only ones doing the actual cleaning. Chanyeol chuckles, thinking of how Minseok is going to run back to their tent once he’s done or maybe look for Chanyeol and show him his cold hands for him to warm.

Jongdae is chattering, probably gossiping, excited about something Chanyeol is too far away to hear. Cold wind picks up and Jongdae whines loudly. In a second, Lu Han is there with a dry fur to cover Jongdae’s back. The smug smile the omega directs at Minseok as he is taken away by the alpha makes Chanyeol’s mate snort.

The reason Jongdae is not an option is in Minseok’s knowing smile. Chanyeol can’t choose him when Lu Han is so actively courting him.

The wind starts again and Minseok shivers. The urge to move and cover him with his body almost makes Chanyeol lose his spot right behind the trees, far enough for his scent to not be sensed but close enough to observe the omegas.

There’s Joohyun too. She’s beautiful, Chanyeol’s always thought so. A strong-willed and kind omega. In a way, she seems similar to Minseok. But Chanyeol sees how his mate and the other omega interact, how they get along. He can’t bring Joohyun into his relationship, it feels like something’s missing.

It’s going to take too much time before Chanyeol feels ready to choose. Sighing, he turns away from the river and heads back to the camp. 

Chanyeol walks away after one last glance at his mate. So distracted, he doesn't notice he isn't alone. He bumps into someone. A small groan of pain leaves the other wolf’s mouth. When Chanyeol takes a look at him, he remembers his name. Jongin.

“I’m sorry,” Jongin whispers lowering his head.

“No, my fault!” Chanyeol’s voice is too loud and it startles the younger wolf, who lifts his head with wide brown eyes. His thick lips form a pout, but it seems like it’s a natural one. “I should have paid more attention.”

“It’s okay, Alpha.” 

The word shocks Chanyeol. “I’m not the Alpha yet.”

Jongin is one of the new members. “In my pack, we refer to the alphas as such, whether they are the leader or not,” he explains in a soft voice.

“Oh, but you’re in our pack now.” Chanyeol smiles at him. “Just call me Chanyeol.”

Jongin nods shyly and excuses himself to head to the river with the rest of the omegas. Chanyeol turns to say something, maybe ask him how he’s feeling, how he’s adjusting. But nothing leaves his mouth since the scent of cedarwood invades his nostrils. He breathes it in. There aren’t any cedar trees around their territory. He stays a few minutes there as the scent fades away.

 

[***]

 

In the last few days, word has gotten out that Chanyeol is going to pick a second mate, another omega. The murmur follows him closely as he walks, and it mixes with the pheromones in the air. Different scents have always been a part of the pack, but they're more intense. It's makes it seem like spring is closer than it actually is.

The days are getting warmer and more wolves are leaving their tents, some even in their bare human forms. It makes for a very interesting pack to see them mingling this way. Jongdae’s always a little reckless and sits in the cold as a human, but he's got a medium sized wolf with long light brown hair by his side. Lu Han plops down on Jongdae’s lap unceremoniously, pulling out a loud laugh from him.

As Chanyeol wanders around the site observing what will become his new pack, he hears the telling sounds of a fight, snarls and the rustling of leaves. But it's the human voices cheering that remind Chanyeol of the times when he used to play fight with other alphas and betas. Ever since he started aiming to become the Alpha of the pack he hasn't joined any of those silly fights. He misses them.

When Chanyeol gets to the place, Baekhyun is on one side in the center the circle, panting and with a proud expression in his face. But his eyes are not looking at the defeated alpha on the other side; they're set on Yixing, whose smile is soft, just like his eyes whenever he looks at Baekhyun. Chanyeol shakes his head at the way the two alphas seem to live in their own world.

A new fight is about to start. A medium sized wolf, with white fur and blue eyes, steps in. Chanyeol would recognize Sehun’s wolf anywhere. The beta has a very characteristic wolf form, more elegant and impressive than his human one, if Chanyeol were being honest, which he usually is towards his friend.

What surprises Chanyeol, though, is the other wolf that is stepping into the circle. It's smaller in size than Sehun. His fur is dark brown and, when his eyes find Chanyeol, he sees they're equally dark, if not darker. He seems familiar, but Chanyeol can't place him.

Both wolves walk around the circle in the center, assessing each other. When Sehun does that, it's because he doesn't know his opponent very well. This only makes Chanyeol even more curious. None of the wolves are reacting and it must grate on Sehun’s nerves, as the white wolf is the first to growl, a clear need to provoke. Yet, the brown wolf stays calm.

Patience isn't Sehun’s virtue, though. He jumps forward, but the brown wolf rolls out of the way. Sehun is fast and turns in time to bump into the other wolf's side. A whimper of pain is heard and Chanyeol feels something in his chest, a sudden urge to protect. He's got no time to do anything as the brown wolf jumps to the side and then throws himself at Sehun, almost catching his leg with his teeth. Sehun snarls, while the wolf moves away.

The agility and the way the dark brown wolf moves are impressive. It's like a dance on quick feet to music that only he can hear. Chanyeol forgets there are other wolves around him, he even forgets Sehun’s there. His eyes are sorely focused on the new wolf. Not new, they haven't gotten new members since fall. The wolf is very familiar, but Chanyeol still can't say his name.

There’s the smell of cedarwood again.

The fight is over. The brown wolf’s got Sehun pinned under him. The first to shift is the defeated beta, with a shocked expression on his human form’s face. In a second, the dark wolf leaves to give place to a dark skinned guy, messy dark brown hair and strong face features. Jongin smiles down at Sehun, chest heaving in pride. Then, he helps him up. Sehun praises him in awe. It seems like Sehun found a new person to admire, leaving Chanyeol aside.

“He seems strong,” a voice speaks quietly by Chanyeol’s side.

When he turns, he meets Baekhyun. His alpha friend is not looking at him, he’s staring at Jongin and Sehun as he hugs Yixing from behind.

“He is. Is it the first time he’s fought?” Chanyeol asks.

“Yeah. He’s been coming here to watch, attracting a few alphas and betas here and there,” Baekhyun comments casually. Then, Chanyeol notices the way other pack members talk and congratulate Jongin. He gets it; a strong omega that can take down a beta like Sehun is definitely worth their time. “He’s also very, very attractive,” Baekhyun adds with a cheeky grin. 

Yixing lets out a low possessive growl and grips Baekhyun’s hand on his stomach. Chanyeol chuckles at the both of them before setting his eyes again on Jongin. The omega is preening with pride. Chanyeol wants Jongin to look at him. Maybe he should go and greet him. A hand on his shoulder stops him from moving. When Chanyeol looks at it, he recognizes those short fingers.

“Hey,” his mate tells him. Chanyeol doesn’t reply, he just turns around and kisses Minseok square on the lips, taking him in his arms and lifting him from the ground. The kiss breaks when Minseok giggles against his lips. “Put me down! Stop making a show.” He hits Chanyeol’s shoulder until he’s back on his feet. “What are you doing here?”

Chanyeol kisses him temple and stands by his side, an arm around his waist. “I came to watch,” he explains.

The wolves are getting ready for another fight. This time it’s Kyungsoo against Zitao, two betas. It’s going to be an interesting fight. But Chanyeol is distracted because right behind Kyungsoo he meets Jongin’s dark eyes. He feels his cheeks heating up; he gulps and turns to look at Minseok again.

“Shouldn’t you be looking for omegas?” Minseok asks with a knowing smirk. His face shows how much better he feels about the whole thing. He was much quicker to understand and accept the importance of picking another mate than Chanyeol.

“I have. I was thinking of courting Jongdae,” he says casually, trying to hide the smile from his face. The grimace on Minseok’s face makes him burst out laughing, loud deep voice resonating in the forest. Suddenly, all wolves are staring at him. He clears his throat. “Sorry,” he says.

“Please tell me you were kidding,” Minseok mutters. “Lu Han will kill you, or maybe not, but you might end up breaking his heart.”

“Yeah, I was kidding… Mating with Jongdae…” Chanyeol shivers.

“Besides, you already have your eye on someone else.” Minseok’s voice is clear even if the wolves have already started fighting and the sounds are starting to drown their conversation.

Chanyeol is about to retort, but Minseok motions with his head at the other side of the circle, where Jongin’s avidly watching the fight. Chanyeol takes the opportunity to look at him with more attention. His body is well built; particularly his legs look strong. His hips don’t look as wide as other omega’s, but there’s no doubt that he could handle a pregnancy.

There are other things Chanyeol notices, like how beautifully his skin glows with sweat, how defined his jaw is, and how dark his eyes are when he’s focused. Jongin’s lips are parted as he watches the fight. Chanyeol licks his lips. 

“What do you know about him?” He asks Minseok.

 

[***]

 

The day isn’t as cold as others, so when Chanyeol enters his tent, he doesn’t find Minseok buried under a pile of furs searching for warmth. His mate is sitting on the floor brushing his favorite, a bear fur. Three months after having joined the group of hunters, Chanyeol tracked down a small bear by himself and, after an intense fight, he won. The first thing he did when he got back to the camp was present it to Minseok’s feet. They were already courting, Chanyeol claimed him a few weeks later. But that day, at that exact time, when Minseok looked up from the bear to Chanyeol with a incredulous smile on his face and told him how dirty he looked, Chanyeol knew that what his heartbeat was shouting at him was that Minseok was his mate. That day he was washed thoroughly by Minseok in the river, overwhelmed by his careful hands and sandalwood.

Minseok runs his hands along the fur, pensive, lost in his own world. He only notices Chanyeol once he stands in front of him, towering above Minseok. When his mate lifts his eyes, he looks serious and it makes Chanyeol take a seat right there, taking the fur in his hands and helping him. The fur is not too tangled, together they brush it as best as they can.

“What’s wrong?” Chanyeol asks quietly after a while.

Minseok chews on his lower lip. “You’re going to pursue Jongin, then?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.” Chanyeol places his hand on his mate thigh, a reassuring touch beneath the fur covering their legs.

“It’s not him. It’s just…” Minseok sighs. When he stays quiet like this, it’s because he has something he considers important that he wants to say. In the past, Chanyeol would ask and pry and try to get it out of him quickly, but he’s learned to be patient and waits for his mate’s words. “Are you just going to use him to breed?”

It shocks Chanyeol, not just because of the question itself, but the hurt he hears in Minseok’s voice.

“I… don’t know.” He can’t lie to his mate.

“It hurts me more that you’ll just use an omega to breed than the fact that I can’t give you pups.” Minseok is gripping the fur tightly, still not lifting his head.

So, Chanyeol cups his jaw, making his mate face him. “I don’t know Jongin much. I don’t know if I can feel anything for him. So it might end up being that way, me using him.” He takes a deep breath when he sees Minseok’s glassy eyes harden, a sign that he upset him. “But I’d love to feel something. That’s why I want to get to know him first. I can only be honest with you. I hope I can develop feelings for him.”

Minseok nods. 

“If you don’t want me to get a second mate, just tell me.” Chanyeol won’t get tired reiterating it.

“No. I’ve accepted that you need another mate.” It’s all the consent Chanyeol needs from Minseok to pursue Jongin. “I do think we should talk about it with him.” This time it’s Chanyeol who nods. 

Minseok leans forward and pecks his lips. A peck turns into a deeper kiss and there’s a whispered “I love you” that Chanyeol is not sure whom it came from.

 

[***]

 

The weather is a little warmer to walk around in their human form. Chanyeol is fidgeting, not because he wants to warm himself up, but because, by the ashes of last night’s campfire, Minseok and Jongin sit on a trunk. Chanyeol hides from view behind a tree, head peeking out, like a small pup playing a game. The nerves make his claws come out abruptly, shocked by his own feelings, he retracts them. He doesn’t recognize himself.

His mate and the other omega are close enough for Chanyeol to hear the conversation.

“How are you adapting?” Minseok looks at Jongin with genuine interest, head tilted to the side, a kind smile on his face.

Jongin smiles back. “Good. I…” His voice is quiet when he speaks like this, Chanyeol’s hearing is barely good enough to understand him. “I’ve made some new friends.” Chanyeol thinks back to the betas and alphas that Jongin plays with. He feels proud of his pack for making Jongin feel comfortable.

Minseok nods. “Must have been rough, changing packs…”

“Not really. When they were choosing members to come here, I offered myself,” Jongin explains.

“Oh… Why?” Jongin keeps quiet. Chanyeol is thankful for Minseok’s understanding character, as his mate changes topic when he notices Jongin doesn’t want to reply. “Our pack is a little weird now, with no Alpha yet,” he starts and Chanyeol knows where this is heading. His claws come out again. “But Chanyeol’s been chosen to become our leader.” Minseok hesitates for a bit, biting his lips. “Could you see him as the Alpha? Or does he seems as dumb to you as he does to me?”

Offended, Chanyeol starts scratching the trunk he’s holding onto, until Jongin’s loud laugh stops him. His heart takes a sudden jump inside his chest, unexpectedly. The sound of Jongin’s laughter is really nice to hear, and Chanyeol realizes that in all the time Jongin’s been there, Chanyeol’s never heard him laugh, never got close enough to hear it.

“He’s okay, I’d say. I don’t know him much,” comes Jongin’s shy reply after his laughter quiets down.

“What do you think of him?” Chanyeol waits and waits for the answer.

“Tell him to come out.” Jongin looks down at his lap. “I can smell oak wood.”

This time, Minseok laughs openly. “Come on, Chanyeol!” He shouts.

Retracting his claws and trying to fix the trunk he harmed, Chanyeol steps away from the tree, showing himself at Minseok who’s looking straight at him with an amused smiled. Jongin, though, is still with his head lowered.

“Sorry,” Chanyeol says, a little bashful, scratching his nape. “I was…” He can’t even find an excuse, not that it could work on Jongin, he guesses.

“It’s true then, that you’re looking for a second mate? An omega?” Jongin lifts his head. His face looks soft, not like he’s repressing anything. It’s an open expression that Chanyeol’s yet to learn how to read.

“Yes,” Chanyeol nods, still standing in front of the two sitting omegas.

“And if Minseok is here asking me what I think about you… it’s because you picked me.” He sounds sure of it. Chanyeol nods again. “I… know about you,” Jongin speaks quietly glancing at Minseok, who doesn’t look affected. “I understand why you need another mate.” From the way he speaks, Chanyeol realizes how mature Jongin is despite his young face and age.

“Yes. I was asked to. And I’ve been talking about this with Minseok,” Chanyeol tells him.

Jongin hums. “An omega to breed.” There are a few seconds of silence. “I don’t know if I wanna be tied to you, alpha.”

Jongin’s words cut through the air and Chanyeol’s mouth falls open. He should have expected it, but he isn’t really sure how to handle the whole situation.

“I can’t accept you if all I’m worth is a belly for your pups,” Jongin says looking at him straight in the eye. “Do you even like me?” Before Chanyeol and Minseok can say anything, Jongin stands up and bids them goodbye, quickly walking away.

 

[***]

 

“I like his boldness. He rejected the future Alpha,” Minseok says with a smirk when they walk back into the tent after the weather turned chilly.

Together they arrange the furs on the floor. Chanyeol is tired from the hunting trip early in the morning and Jongin’s rejection, surprised to find that he cares a lot more about it than he thought. When they’re done, he lays on his back, not even bothering to reply to Minseok. His eyes fall closed as the exhaustion settles in. He feels Minseok leaning closer and throwing an arm around his chest, his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“You’re pouting,” Minseok comments amusedly.

“I’m not.” It comes out whinnier than he intends and it makes his mate chuckle. He keeps his eyes closed, even when he lays his own arm across Minseok’s back, pulling him closer. Sighing loudly, Chanyeol says, “I don’t know why I’m so affected.”

“I could smell your nerves all the way from where I was sitting.” Minseok’s index finger traces patterns over Chanyeol’s pectoral. The touch feels nice, and Chanyeol turns his head to the side, opening his eyes to look at Minseok. “Why do you think it could be?”

Silence. Chanyeol thinks back to the few interactions he’s had with Jongin before he was told to pick another mate. There’s no denying Jongin is handsome, and in other circumstances, Chanyeol might have approached him with a lot more interest. With Minseok by his side, there isn’t much he needs from Jongin. As he looks into Minseok’s brown eyes, he notices they’re lighter that Jongin’s but no less intense. Minseok leans forward to peck his lips.

“It’s because you like him,” Minseok tells him. Chanyeol opens his mouth to refute, but his mate covers his mouth with his fingers. “I’m your mate. Even if I didn’t get to sense what you’re feeling, I’d be able to know just by looking at your face.”

“I barely know him.” Chanyeol speaks through Minseok’s fingers.

Minseok shushes him. “You’re at least attracted to him. Think about it.”

Chanyeol closes his eyes and leans his head back on the furs. _Cedarwood._ His nostrils react even when the scent is not even there for him to smell it.

“Ahhh… so that’s it,” Minseok murmurs.

Chanyeol opens his eyes again and realizes that he’s said it out loud. He nods.

“Is it strong? That’s his scent, right?” Minseok looks at him curiously. He then bends his arm over Chanyeol’s chest, placing his chin on his hand, looking deep in thought. “Mmm… I don’t know how good his sense of smell is. I could sense you near because… well, it’s you. But were you close enough for him?” He taps his cheek with his fingers.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asks, sitting up straight and making Minseok fall from his chest with a grunt.

“I’m thinking… he didn’t actually reject you. His last question was if you liked him.” Minseok lays on his back, head on Chanyeol’s lap. He looks entertained by his thoughts now, looking at Chanyeol with playful eyes. “I think you have a chance.” Minseok smiles. “But if he says a blatant ‘no’ next time, no more Jongin, got it?” he says with a sudden serious face.

Chanyeol nods, gulping at the way Minseok looks hard at him. He has to try approaching Jongin differently next time; proper courting. His heart skips a beat at the thought of actually being accepted by Jongin. If the omega becomes his second mate, he’ll have by his side not only a strong and fertile omega, but also someone he could be attracted to, someone he could grow to care for as much as Minseok. He likes the idea and it makes him feel at ease until he looks down at Minseok.

“If… If I were to mate with Jongin, how would you feel?” Chanyeol asks him, brushing Minseok’s hair off his forehead.

Minseok looks back at him with wide eyes for a few seconds. “I’ll still be here. I trust you won’t stop loving me.”

“I could never!” Chanyeol exclaims.

Minseok reaches up to touch his cheek, caresses it. “And, honestly, the more people to put you back in your place, the better.”

Chanyeol whines, holding Minseok’s hand on his cheek. “Don’t be mean to me.”

His mate says nothing. The playful smirk on his face says it all. Suddenly, the hand moves to Chanyeol’s nape, pulling him down to kiss Minseok. His torso is too long and he has to bend uncomfortably to get their lips to touch. He pulls back grabbing Minseok’s shoulders and moving him until his mate is sitting, then he goes for Minseok’s smirk again. He catches his upper lip between his and feels his mate close his lips. They fall into their kiss, losing themselves in their smiles.

Chanyeol ends up on top of Minseok on the furs. His hands cradle Minseok’s head as he lowers him down, lips barely parting. His body covers his mate entirely and Minseok’s arms on his back press Chanyeol closer. As their mouths keep moving, Chanyeol’s hand travel down Minseok’s chest then caress his sides, fingertips running over his ribs, making Minseok moan. Chanyeol breaks the kiss with a pleased smirk. Then, he looks down at his mate, flushed, lips swollen and eyes dark, asking for more. He leans again to capture his mouth. 

The warmth he feels all over his body is even stronger in his groin, which he starts rubbing on Minseok’s thigh. He can feel Minseok’s arousal too on his own hip. Once again their lips part as both of them start grinding, yet they don’t move too far. They pant into each other’s mouth, too immersed in their rutting to worry about kissing.

“Chanyeol.” It’s more of a moan than a call, from the way Minseok sounds so affected.

“Yeah.” He thrusts faster, holding Minseok’s hips.

“No, no.” His mate stops him. Confused, Chanyeol pulls away. Minseok smiles as he takes Chanyeol’s hand and brings it lower, going past his cock, to reach his ass. It doesn’t even take him a second to know what his mate is asking for. He leans down again to kiss him while he takes Minseok’s cheeks with both hands, parting them, and traces his crack with one finger. Minseok sighs into his mouth.

The first finger breaches past Minseok’s wet rim. The lewd sound of it is covered by Minseok’s vocal approval. Chanyeol moves his mouth to Minseok’s neck, layering it with short open-mouthed kisses. He sucks on the mark left by his own bite, just the way Minseok likes it. His mate’s response is to thrust his hips up and beg him to hurry up. He lowers down Minseok’s body as he presses another finger in, wiggling both, enjoying Minseok’s reaction. He scissors into Minseok’s natural lubricant. 

Before he reaches a nipple, he takes out his fingers to get a taste of Minseok, he can’t get enough of his mate no matter how many times they’ve done this. He puts both fingers in his mouth, looking up at Minseok, who’s biting his lip with hooded eyes. 

“Com‒ come on.” Minseok’s voice breaks. Chanyeol smirks, taking his time to tease him. But Minseok doesn’t wait. Chanyeol falls on his back with a thud, Minseok crawling up on his body. “You wanted to taste.” His voice is dangerous, as he sits on Chanyeol’s chest, and Chanyeol gets it. 

Grabbing Minseok’s thighs, he pushes him further up his body, until he’s hovering on his face. Chanyeol takes a deep breath, loving the smell of his mate, as much as his usual scent. The first lick is just a tease, something his mate enjoys, even if he seems impatient at times. Minseok tastes delicious, as he’s meant to taste. It’s the burst of the most distinctive flavor on his tongue that has Chanyeol pushing it inside deeper, holding Minseok’s legs tighter, bringing him closer. He can feel Minseok’s lubricant dripping on his chin, making a mess that Minseok will probably clean later with his own tongue.

“Stop! Stop. Stop,” Minseok pants from above him. 

A hand pushes Chanyeol’s forehead away. Finally free to breathe, Chanyeol pulls away and inhales deeply, savoring the lingering taste on his lips.

Minseok crawls off his face, ready to sink down on his cock. But Chanyeol stops him, turning them around. The furs under them are barely covering the floor from all the tossing and turning, a mess than Minseok will complain about later. That’s the last thing on his mate’s mind, though. When Chanyeol looks into his dark eyes, he knows. Kissing a trail from Minseok’s chest to his mouth, he also knows he was right, when Minseok cups his jaw and starts licking it and kissing it. He feels the effect of those actions on his throbbing cock. 

Settling himself in between Minseok’s thighs, he pushes in, making his mate’s head fall back as a moan leaves his throat. It always takes him a moment to relax, and Chanyeol patiently waits. A silent nod is the sign for him to move. He thrusts and Minseok cries out, with his eyes closed. Chanyeol thrusts again while holding Minseok’s face, making him open his eyes. His mate smiles at him, a smile that breaks when Chanyeol pushes back in again. Soon they pick up the pace as Minseok starts pushing back to get Chanyeol deeper inside. 

Everything is so familiar with Minseok, even the pace when they fuck. The sounds that leave Minseok’s mouth are also what Chanyeol’s used to, he loves each and everyone of them. The way Minseok fucks desperately into Chanyeol’s hand when he starts stroking his cock, Chanyeol loves it. And the way his mouth falls open when he comes, he loves that too.

“Beautiful,” Chanyeol whispers when Minseok looks up at him with hazy eyes.

“Come.” It’s breathed out through Minseok’s swollen lips, that Chanyeol leans in to kiss.

He chases his own orgasm, thrusting faster and faster until his can’t pull out anymore. His knot catching on Minseok’s rim makes his mate whine.

Minseok cups his face and stares straight at him. Another deep kiss and Chanyeol’s pulsing inside his mate, pumping bursts of come. He’s barely able to hold himself up until it’s over. Minseok turns them on their side, uncaring of the sticky mess in between them. The movement makes Chanyeol’s knot brush Minseok’s walls and both of them moan. They lay there holding each other on top of the now dirty furs. Chanyeol drops a tired kiss on Minseok’s temple; his mate lets out a pleased sigh. 

 

[***]

 

The hare was barely able to escape, before Chanyeol jumped on it and trapped it with his jaw. There are more animals in the woods lately, but not enough to let a simple hare go. Chanyeol walks back to the site in his human form, holding the dead animal in his hand. He feels sweat travel down his spine despite the chilly weather. He considers shifting just to hide his face, but Minseok told him to do it as a human.

The worst thing he can find when he reaches the camp is Jongin surrounded by many other omegas, all of them chatting cheerfully about things Chanyeol is not interested in. All he can focus is the dark skinned guy that’s a few meters away from Minseok. Chanyeol refuses to look at his mate, though he can feel the burning of Minseok’s eyes on him. He’s sweating even more now.

Whatever Yifan is telling Jongin makes him laugh. His laugh is cut off when Chanyeol steps in front of the omega, startling him as if he hadn’t sensed Chanyeol’s presence. The pregnant omega by Jongin’s side quiets down, and then Chanyeol can feel the silence of the rest of the omegas. This is the worst moment to do this. 

The hand that holds the dead animal is sweating too. Chanyeol knows his hair looks wild,; dirty face and body, all exposed for the omegas to see. His eyes are focused only on Jongin who looks up at him from where he’s sitting, a curious expression that turns into a knowing look when he sees the animal in Chanyeol’s hand.

The alpha lowers himself down and places the animal in front of Jongin. A few moments of silence, and then Jongdae breaks it with a loud exclamation. He is followed by everyone else present and a murmur starts. The only silent ones are Jongin, Chanyeol and Minseok.

Jongin opens his mouth and all noise quiets down. “You look pitiful,” he says. Chanyeol feels vulnerable kneeling in front of a group of omegas, presenting himself to Jongin. The words hurt. “Thank you, alpha,” he adds, leaning over to take the animal and put it aside. Chanyeol searches his face, and in the corner of Jongin’s thick lips there’s a smile trying to escape.

Chanyeol sighs in relief, bows and stands to leave. He plays the part of a strong alpha again, when he walks away pretending his legs aren’t shaking.

He’s soon followed by footsteps he recognizes. Back in the woods, he turns around to embrace his mate. Minseok laughs as he’s pulled into Chanyeol’s chest. The alpha lowers his head and hides it in his mate’s neck, a most uncomfortable position for him, but all he wants to do is hide himself in Minseok’s comfort.

“That was awful,” he sighs into his mate’s skin.

“It was endearing how nervous you were,” Minseok says amusedly, running his hands on Chanyeol’s back. The sweat’s dried and the weather is making him shiver now.

“You were much easier to court,” he mumbles, wrapping himself all over Minseok.

His mate walks him to a tree, where he sits down and pushes Chanyeol’s head to his lap. “You were terrible actually. I already liked you before you even started courting me, so there wasn’t much point to it.” Chanyeol whines loudly at his mate’s teasing. The hand that plays with his fingers on top of his stomach soothe him. “That was a bold move, Chanyeol,” Minseok speaks quietly, a hint of pride in his voice. “In front of all the omegas. It shows him that you’re serious about him as it will lower your chances with the rest. No one wants to be third choice.”

“Third choice?” Chanyeol lifts his head from Minseok’s lap, but his mate pushes him back down.

“I’m your first choice, you dumb wolf.” Minseok shakes his head, brushing Chanyeol’s dark hair off his forehead.

 

[***]

 

Some of the omegas are in the fields. That’s where Chanyeol heads, past the woods, where there’s a barley field. Chanyeol sees the omegas in the tall grass, collecting the seeds to use later for their food and beverages. He’s been to the fields a few times before, as one of the alphas sent for protection. On one side of the field, he sees Lu Han, whose eyes are not leaving Jongdae’s crouched figure. Chanyeol walks up to his friend, startling him by shifting suddenly and patting his shoulder.

“Eyes on everyone, lover wolf,” he says.

Lu Han hastily apologizes, grumbling about nosy soon-to-be-leaders. “What are you doing here?”

“Hyesung called me,” Chanyeol replies, looking around for the elder omega. He finds him surrounded by a group of omegas and betas. Some of them shivering from the cold. The days are still not warm enough to spend the full day in their human forms.

When Hyesung notices him, he waves his arms, calling him to the center of the field. As Chanyeol gets closer, he notices new and old faces, Jongin’s amongst them.

“Chanyeol! Do you wanna tell them what they need to do?” Although this task is not usually done by the leader of the pack, but this is about Chanyeol proving to Hyesung he knows how things are done in the pack.

“Hey!” He greets the group when he stops in front of them. Some of the omegas are shyly hiding; since most of them seem to have recently found out their status, they’re very young. All of them have their eyes on him, though. Jongin’s eyes are especially distracting for Chanyeol. 

He walks the group around the field, pointing out the harvest of seeds, explaining how they prepare and use them. He remembers his days helping Kyungsoo with the brewing. His thoughts don’t go too far; Jongin’s near him and listening. The rest of group murmurs things that Chanyeol doesn’t pay attention to.

“Great!” Hyesung stops him from continuing. “Look for some other wolves to help,” he tells the group. “Jongin, come here.”

The omega steps closer to Chanyeol and the elder. “Yes?”

“You’re going to go with Chanyeol back to the camp,” Hyesung says before turning to Chanyeol. “Take him to Kyungsoo.” 

The alpha nods as he is dismissed. He can feel Jongin walking behind him, silently. “Let’s shift,” Chanyeol tells him since he doesn’t know how to avoid the awkward atmosphere. Jongin nods and transforms into the same wolf Chanyeol saw fighting with Sehun a while ago. Following him, Chanyeol shifts too.

They reach the tent next to Kyungsoo’s. It’s bigger than the usual ones, as it needs more space. After shifting, they step inside to find the beta putting already roasted seeds inside a pot; they’ll be used for tea. On the other side of the tent, there’s a layer of seeds spread out on the floor.

“Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol greets his friend. Before his palm can even reach his shoulder, Kyungsoo bats it away.

“What are you doing here?” Kyungsoo asks without even lifting his head from his task.

“Hyesung told me to bring Jongin.” The omega’s name pulls a better reaction out of Kyungsoo, who turns to them with a kind smile on his face.

“Hey, Jongin!” The beta’s voice’s changed too.

“Hi,” Jongin greets shyly, but with familiarity.

“Come here.” Kyungsoo gestures at some of the larger pots. “I’m gonna teach you how to brew.” The omega nods. “Have you ever tasted it? It can be strong, but it’s popular in this pack.”

Chanyeol stands watching the other two wolves on the floor, as Kyungsoo takes a small bowl, to bring the liquid to Jongin’s lips. The omega’s first reaction is a grimace and he starts coughing, clearly not used to alcohol. Chanyeol finds it endearing and can’t help but laugh. Kyungsoo meets his eyes with a smile of his own.

“What does your pack drink?” Chanyeol asks Jongin, who turns to him, slightly red from the coughing fit and probably a bit of embarrassment.

“Not this, definitely. Just water.”

Chanyeol nods. “Is there anything you miss from home?” The question surprises Kyungsoo who raises an eyebrow at Chanyeol. The alpha pretends he doesn’t see him.

“There’s less rice here,” Jongin starts quietly. “I didn’t expect the food to be so different. Our packs aren’t too far from each other.” He’s rubbing his hands on his lap as he explains.

“Well,” Kyungsoo speaks. “We exchange rice with your pack, just like we give you some fruits back.” The omega nods. Then, Kyungsoo looks up at Chanyeol, taking his attention away from Jongin. “Don’t you have somewhere to go, Alpha?” Chanyeol is startled and bids them goodbye before leaving the tent. 

 

[***]

 

“Come with me, please?”

Chanyeol knows that voice. He’s been keener to it in the last few days; so much that Minseok’s laughed at him when Chanyeol heard it while they were kissing and he abruptly stopped. His mate told him how much fun it was to see Chanyeol like this, to observe this from the outside. He pinched Chanyeol’s nose when he told him how much cuter than made him.

The fire is almost dead and most wolves have gone to their tents to sleep. There are only a few awake, along with Chanyeol, who was left behind by his mate. Amongst the still awake wolves, he can see Jongin and Sehun walking to the edge of the camp.

“I wanna sleep,” the beta whines. “What do you want?”

Jongin’s scratching his thigh nervously. Chanyeol’s been observing him for the whole meal and noticed that the omega was fidgeting a lot. “I feel like running,” he tells Sehun quietly.

“Don’t wanna,” is Sehun’s reply. Chanyeol wants to smack his friend for not being nice to Jongin. “Ask Chanyeol.”

Sehun’s words shock him, but not as much as both Jongin and Sehun turning to look at him. Chanyeol stands still a few steps away from them. Jongin lowers his head, his breath a little faster. He seems a bit on edge.

“I can go with you, Jongin,” Chanyeol tells the omega. “Are you okay?” Jongin says nothing, while Sehun says goodnight and leaves them alone. There are a few moments of awkward silence until Chanyeol speaks again. “You can’t go alone. Let me go with you.”

Jongin nods, quickly shifting. The dark brown wolf waits for Chanyeol. Although they haven’t shared many words, the fact that Jongin trusts him enough to run with him makes Chanyeol feel like he’s doing things right. 

In a rush, Chanyeol shifts and follows Jongin. They don’t run yet, and Chanyeol patiently waits for Jongin to show him what he wants to do. The omega strolls slowly in front of him, tail swinging from side to side gently, a sign of calmness. Chanyeol steps are at the same pace as Jongin’s, he walks behind.

All the trust Jongin is showing makes Chanyeol excited. He didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Yet, the omega is unperturbed, walking ahead of him.

When they reach the river, Chanyeol steps by Jongin’s side. There’s a breeze moving the trees above them. Jongin leans over the water to drink and Chanyeol follows. He looks at the water, but since there are dark clouds above them covering the moon, he can’t see their reflections. He can’t compare his wolf to Jongin’s. The omega is smaller, but he seems a bit broader than Chanyeol. He would love to see how they look side by side.

Suddenly, Jongin is done drinking and shakes his head, splattering Chanyeol with drops of water. Chanyeol sneezes and then softly bumps his snout to Jongin’s own in retaliation. Jongin drops, lowering down his front, looking ready to play. The tail swings faster behind him, and Chanyeol’s heart speeds up. 

In a flash, Jongin jumps back and turns to run along the river. Chanyeol is taken aback before he reacts and runs after him. It doesn’t take him long to catch up to Jongin. The omega’s not running too fast. When Chanyeol reaches him, he runs along his side, playfully bumping on it. They run together, tongues falling from their open mouths. They pick up speed as they jump over stones and trunks, and they turn away from the river.

It’s exhilarating to say the least. After months of pressure and worries, Chanyeol finally gets a moment to breathe freely and enjoy the wind on his fur. It starts drizzling and the little drops of rain feel like cleansing. By his side, Jongin seems to be feeling the same. It’s a moment for the two of them to relish in.

Too soon for Chanyeol, they reach the pack again. The rain is suddenly heavier, wetting their furs and their skin beneath it. Drenched, they shake themselves when they stop running. It’s pointless and if Chanyeol were in his human form he’d be laughing loudly.

Jongin is the first to shift. “Thank you,” he says quietly once Chanyeol shifts too.

They’re both dripping wet, hair plastered on their heads, water running down their bodies. Chanyeol doesn’t care about that, not when Jongin’s expression is genuinely thankful.

“Thank you for trusting me,” he says.

“Not you.” Jongin shakes his head. “If you had done anything to me, Minseok would have bitten your head off.” There’s half a smirk on his face as he says it. It leaves Chanyeol wanting to kiss it off him.

 

[***]

 

Days pass by; Chanyeol gets closer to Jongin. On the first meal of the day, Chanyeol approached Jongin and was allowed to sit next to him, with Minseok’s amused eyes staring at him all the while. They shared the food, they did some mindless chatting, about the pack, about the weather, but never about the courting. Although it’s obvious where Chanyeol’s interests lie, it’s not an explicit matter in their conversations anymore. Everyday after Chanyeol spends time with Jongin, he goes back to a teasing Minseok.

This afternoon, neither omega is around. He wants some snuggles after having discussed his duties as future Alpha with Minwoo and the Elders. It’s exhausting, all these expectations take a toll on his mood. The smile never leaves his face though. He asked for all of this the moment he started aspiring to become the Alpha.

Following the scent of sandalwood, he walks away from the camp. The territory of the pack is wide and Chanyeol knows it all, that’s also part of his training. He knows exactly where Minseok’s scent leads him to. What’s unexpected, though, is the scent of cedarwood. He stops in his track, inhaling deeply, letting both scents invade his lungs. He feels at peace. His eyes open wide when he realizes what it means. A current of excitement runs through his body.

Chanyeol steps closer to the omegas. The first one to notice him is Minseok who lifts himself of the grass where he was laying, sitting up straight. There’s a sly smile on his face. Jongin is sitting next to him. They were talking before Chanyeol interrupted.

Hastily, Jongin stands up and greets Chanyeol before saying goodbye to the couple with a flimsy excuse about having to help Jongdae with something. Chanyeol stares at his retreating figure, focusing on his firm ass without realizing it until Minseok clears his throat. Chanyeol turns towards his mate, who’s got an eyebrow raised at him.

“How was your training?” Minseok asks, patting the empty space left by Jongin.

“Tiring.” Chanyeol takes a seat and then plops on top of Minseok without warning. His mate humphs in response. Chanyeol sighs before continuing. “I was feeling drained until I came here. I caught both of your scents,” he says while placing kisses on Minseok’s stomach, making his mate squirm. “Yours was stronger than his, yet when I got closer… when I caught both, I felt calm.” He murmurs the last part.

Minseok runs his hands over his hair; a pleased sound leaves Chanyeol’s mouth as his eyelashes flutter closed. “You know why...” his mate says.

“No, I don’t.” Chanyeol bites Minseok’s skin lightly. His mate is always ahead of him in these matters. Minseok whines, tugging his hair to separate Chanyeol from his stomach.

“The only reason that could actually happen is if he were to accept you.” Minseok raises both eyebrows and turns his head a little to the side.

Chanyeol quickly scrambles off his mate. “Really?” His heart is wildly beating in his chest.

“He came to ask me if I was okay with it.” Minseok grabs his hand and pulls him back down. This time, Chanyeol arranges himself fully on top of his mate. “You seem to be doing well,” he adds.

Chanyeol hides his joy in the crook of Minseok’s neck. “This was much easier than I thought,” he comments.

“Shut it!” Minseok slaps his shoulder blade. “Your turmoil wasn’t inner. I saw it all.” His fingers run down his back. “I saw you looking at his ass too.” Chanyeol groans.

 

[***]

 

There are no clouds in the sky and from the way the sun shines, it’s a much warmer day than Chanyeol’s used to. The pack embraces it by mostly walking around in their human forms. The scents are spreading through the air. It marks the beginning of the spring, along with the soon to be blossoming flowers on the bushes. There will be more fruits to eat. Spirits are high from another winter survived.

Spring means two things, though. The more pressing one in Chanyeol’s mind is the ceremony and his consequent ascension as the pack’s Alpha. It's what makes him walk around the camp mindlessly sometimes. He's usually found by Minseok who pulls him aside and gives him something to do when he doesn't have duties. Other times, his mate simply kisses his worries away. Chanyeol enjoys those times the most.

The other matter in his mind is always reminded by the scents. The heats are soon to start; Minseok will probably be busy handling all the omegas. Yifan won't be able to help him this year, as he will be busy with his own pups. Chanyeol smiles when he walks by the omega and his alpha mate, Junmyeon.

With no Minseok around, Chanyeol heads to the river to wash his face and lay on a warm rock if possible. There will probably be a lot of other wolves at the usual place and Chanyeol feels like being alone. He finds the perfect place almost covered by the shadow of a tree, but exposed enough for the stone to be warm. That's where he plops down on his back, letting the heat seep in through his skin and the sound of the water lull him to sleep. Pleased, he sighs, closing his eyes.

His nap is interrupted by someone sheepishly clearing their throat. The sound awakens him, but he becomes fully alert when he senses the scent. It’s stronger than usual; Jongin’s heat must be starting soon.

Standing close to the rock is Jongin, holding something behind his back, cheeks flushed pink. Chanyeol almost falls on his face coming down from the rock. The omega stifles a laugh and looks away. Chanyeol tries not to sigh wistfully when he thinks of Jongin's laughter.

"Hey, Jongin," he greets when he stands in front of the omega.

"Hi." It's a bashful whisper followed by the biting of his lower lip.

"What are you doing here?" Chanyeol rubs his hands on his thighs. For the first time in a while, he feels exposed as Jongin glances at him and then looks away.

"I came to see you," Jongin says, a bit more determinedly than Chanyeol expected.

Then, Jongin shows him what he holds in his hands ‒ a bracelet made of chrysanthemums. Jongin's first gift. Chanyeol feels ecstatic about having the omega's attention. A new step in their relationship that Jongin took for both of them. Chanyeol's going to need Minseok to calm him down once he goes back to the camp.

"I brought you this." Jongin extends his arm and Chanyeol reaches for it. The moment their hands touch, Chanyeol sees him shiver. He already feels much better than he did when he finished his training for the day.

"Thank you, Jongin." The younger is shy, but still looking straight at him. "Wanna join me on my rock?"

"Your rock?" Jongin chuckles. There it is, Jongin's beautiful laugh.

"Yes. My rock." He'll say anything to hear it again. Minseok mustn't know; Chanyeol can't survive more teasing from his mate.

He puts on the bracelet as Jongin sits with him on the rock. Side by side, Chanyeol leans over. There's a spot where the water is calmer and Chanyeol can see his reflection. Another figure joins it, Jongin is smiling at it. Not their wolf forms, but Chanyeol is pleased to see that they look well together, not in a physical way but in a comfortable way.

"I've asked Minseok about you," Chanyeol speaks first. Jongin's reflection on the water turns to look at him. "He told me what you do in the camp, who you get along with. But I learned all of that later by watching you." Then, he looks at the omega. "You're a part of this pack now. I see how well you fit in, despite our packs being so different."

The bashful smile on Jongin's face is beautiful, all teeth exposed, eyelashes lowered. Chanyeol wants to touch his face.

"It's a good pack." Jongin bites his lip. "You're a good alpha." The words leave Jongin's mouth and reach Chanyeol, who takes them in surprise.

"Thank you." He takes a deep breath, leaning back on his stretched arms. "Am I good enough for you, though?"

Jongin's mouth opens before it turns into a smile again. Chanyeol wants to kiss it. "Yes." That's all Chanyeol needs to close his eyes, pleased with how things are turning out.

“Can I learn more about you, then?” His head lolls to the side, to look at Jongin. 

The omega nods. “What do you wanna know?” He’s looking at Chanyeol’s wrist, hugged by the bracelet.

“Anything you want to tell me.” Chanyeol notices where Jongin’s eyes are and lifts his arm, placing his hand closer to Jongin. The omega touches the flowers softly.

“I offered myself to come,” Jongin starts. “My parents passed away a few years ago, around this time of the year. I was left mostly by myself. I had only a few friends.” His eyes are on the running water now, as he gets lost in his own memories. Chanyeol wants to comfort him in any way. “When the possibility of coming here came up, there was an alpha that had shown interest in me, kept looking at me and talking about me, but not truly courting me.” Chanyeol tenses. The idea of another suitor for Jongin brings out a low sound from his throat. He stops himself a little too late. Startled, Jongin looks at him and laughs. “Don’t worry,” he says. “I’m here now.”

“Uhm. I’m glad.” Chanyeol tries to pretend he didn’t feel anything. “I’m glad you’re here.” Boldly, he reaches for Jongin’s hand and holds it in his, paying no attention to his own rapid heartbeat.

“I wasn’t interested in that alpha.” The fact that Jongin wants to explain himself makes Chanyeol’s chest feel like it’s about to burst. “He was only interested in me as an omega,” he says in a quieter voice.

It hits Chanyeol. “Oh…” He gulps. “I’m sorry…” Slowly, he pulls away his hand.

“No! It’s okay.” Jongin doesn’t let him go far, quickly catching the moving hand.

Chanyeol looks into his eyes. “Why would you accept me?”

Jongin takes a few moments to think, worrying his lower lip. “You show interest in everyone, not just me. You know almost the entire pack. I’ve asked around and you’ve been like this even before you presented yourself to become the future Alpha.” His hands tighten their hold on Chanyeol’s. “He approached me lacking respect. He made me feel worthless, nothing more than an omega he could show off, a belly for his pups.” His fingers link with Chanyeol’s. “You approached me out of necessity, but still took the time to get to know me and let me get to know you.”

The river keeps running by their feet, the sounds of the current cover the silence of their words.

“I could ask you the same. Why me?” Jongin says then.

Chanyeol looks at the way their hands fit. Different than Minseok’s, Jongin’s fingers are longer; his hand, bigger. “At first, it was the fact that I wanted a strong omega.” He decides to be honest. “Minseok asked me if I only wanted you for breeding, and I didn’t know. I’ve been with Minseok so long, that I didn’t consider the possibility of another mate.” When he lifts his head, Jongin is watching him carefully. “Then, I came to realize that many things about you pulled me in. Your strength, your kind nature, the way you fit into the pack so easily, your boldness ‒Minseok likes that one especially.”

Jongin chuckles along with him. “I like Minseok too.”

“Jongin…” Chanyeol starts, but he doesn’t know how to finish.

“Yes.” It’s an statement. “I’ve thought about it and… Yes.”

Chanyeol searches for the question Jongin’s answering to. It’s written on his face, on his waiting eyes and his fulls lips stretching into a smile. Jongin is accepting him and Chanyeol could scream in joy.

“Are you sure? Please, don’t give me hope and take it away,” Chanyeol pleads, not caring how excited he sounds.

A nod and a lip bite from Jongin pull Chanyeol forwards until he’s only inches away from his face. From so close, Jongin’s dark eyes shine so prettily that they seem lighter. Chanyeol cups his cheek, his thumb rubbing the bone, as he watches Jongin close his eyes.

“I trust you, and Minseok,” the omega whispers before Chanyeol gets rid of the distance between them. His eagerness makes their mouths crash painfully. Chanyeol pulls back, an apology at the tip of his tongue that can’t get out when Jongin chuckles and brings him close again with his hands on Chanyeol’s hair. This time, he’s more careful, savoring the feeling of Jongin’s lips on his. They’re chapped, but the way Jongin moves them, the way he captures his, makes Chanyeol place his hands on Jongin’s waist and pulls him closer.

Slowly, they find out how well they fit physically while cedarwood surrounds Chanyeol’s senses. It’s too much for him; he breaks the kiss to run his mouth along Jongin’s jaw. Uncovered, Jongin’s mouth lets out the most heavenly sounds. A kiss on his neck right under his ear makes him moan. Chanyeol nuzzles the skin, inhaling deeply. It riles him up and he ends up laying Jongin on his back. He pulls away, one look the hooded dark eyes and the bee stung lips, and he presses his body on Jongin, mouthing at his jaw again.

“Stop, stop,” Jongin pleads.

Chanyeol whines, letting his head fall over Jongin’s shoulder. “Okay, okay,” he breathes out. He feels pent up arousal running through his body, and he knows Jongin feels the same.

“We can’t. Not now.” Jongin’s voice struggles to come out. 

“You’re right.” Chanyeol pushes himself away from Jongin, not daring to look at the omega, in case he feels like jumping him again. He feels Jongin sit down too; they’re side by side again. Chanyeol looks to the side, tries to distract himself with the river and the trees. It’s impossible when he can feel Jongin’s warmth and his scent so close to him. “I’ll‒ yeah.” 

He gestures at the water before he jumps in. Cold, it’s pretty much freezing. He doesn’t stay underwater for long and, when he comes out for air, he hears Jongin’s laughter. He wipes his face before he opens his eyes. Jongin’s still on the rock, legs pulled close to his chest, laughing openly. He’s beautiful. Chanyeol hides again underwater until the urge to wrap Jongin in his arms fades away. 

It doesn’t.

 

[***]

 

The sounds coming from outside the Council’s tent are deafening. The whole pack is getting prepared for the ceremony, while Chanyeol awaits by himself hidden away from everything, inside the big tent. He’s not used to not helping in one way or another, nor is he used to being without Minseok whenever he’s feeling uneasy. The noise doesn’t help distract him from the way his heart beats loudly in his ears. He mumbles things to himself, things Minseok would say to placate his nerves. His sweaty hands slide on his skin as he rubs them on his thighs.

When the noises quiet down, he’s immediately called by Minwoo’s howling. He shifts into his wolf form and steps outside the tent, pushing the hanging pelt with his head.

Chanyeol knows how scary his wolf can be, how big and strong he looks. Strolling around the campsite showing it off and seeing the reaction from other wolves, cowering or bowing on their front feet, helps to calm him down. It’s real. He’s the one that will guide and protect these wolves; he’s the one who will lead them. The Alpha of the pack. And he’s earned this right through hard work and respect. Sehun’s white wolf is bowing, along with all the rest of his friends. All the wolves.

When he reaches the center of the camp, where the fire is, he is surrounded by them. The first to howl is Chanyeol, telling the full moon up in the sky that he is the Alpha. The rest join him, supporting his claim, accepting him.

He transforms, his human form still impressive in the way the paintings Minseok did on his body with dark clay shine with the reflection of the fire. Brown curled lines covers his back, his chest and other parts of his body.

“Pack!” His voice booms in the quietness of the forest, in the silence of the pack, over the sizzling wood in the center. “I am your Alpha. I will guide you; you will follow me.” He takes a deep breath. “Those of you who disagree, who are not willing to accept me as such; this is your opportunity to leave.” He waits expectantly, looking around the circle. There are no voices, just stillness. He’s the Alpha.

The first to move is Minseok, to his side, a step behind, like the mate should during the ceremony. Just having his mate close gives Chanyeol what he’s been needing, comfort. From this moment on, Chanyeol will become the strongest wolf in the pack. Not physically. He’ll be the strongest to hold all the responsibility.

He steps forwards towards the fire. His fangs come out as he places his forearm in front of his mouth. Swiping his teeth over the skin, he rips it. Rivulets of blood fall, and he extends his arm above the fire. The drops of blood enhance the fire; the heat makes him want to pull his arm back, but he must let the blood fall. “This is the blood of my enemies. The blood I’ll spill for you. This is my blood. The blood I promise to spill for you.”

It ends. Chanyeol pulls back his arm and watches his skin closing the wound, quickly healing, leaving nothing but a red scar that will stay until the day he dies.

“Alpha,” Minwoo speaks. Chanyeol finds himself surrounded by the elders. “Your gifts.”

One by one, different wolves step forward while Chanyeol stays with Minseok by his side. The first group, made of alphas and betas, present the animals they’ve got from the hunt. Chanyeol accepts them all before an omega comes to take them away to prepare them. There’s an alpha, an older woman, Boa, who holds in both arms fur from a deer. She bows her head as Chanyeol takes it in his own and hands it to Minseok, who places it on Chanyeol’s shoulders. Another group of wolves, this time all omegas, brings him a flower crown, made of the first flowers to have blossomed this spring.

The last one is Kyungsoo. The beta holds a large clay vessel, one Chanyeol has seen many times before.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” his friend mutters.

Chanyeol closes his eyes and opens them again. He takes the vessel, pretending he didn’t hear what Kyungsoo said. “Thank you, Kyungsoo.” He hands the vessel full of alcohol to another alpha who sets to distribute it.

The meal is ready to start since some of the food has already been prepared. Chanyeol sits down on a trunk, with Minseok’s thigh pressed to his. He places his hand on it. His mate hums, grabbing his hand to link their fingers together. Chanyeol couldn’t be more thankful at that very moment. The look of pride in Minseok’s eyes tells him that everything was worth it. Their little private moment breaks when they’re handed their food and they dive into the joy of being accompanied by the pack for this important meal.

Not too far from them sits Jongin, by Sehun’s side. The beta speaks while the omega pretends to listen, until he notices Chanyeol. A single nod and a hidden smile. Chanyeol’s heart rate picks up and Minseok touches his arm. “Easy, lover wolf,” he whispers. Chanyeol sighs wistfully, looking forward to the last moment of the evening.

When their bellies are full, the alcohol gone, a look from Minwoo tells him it’s time. Chanyeol stands up and the pack quiets down slowly. A few scattered conversations keep going until everyone becomes aware of the Alpha.

“Unmated omegas, step forward,” Minwoo commands. “The Alpha will pick a second mate.”

A hand touches his shoulder and is gone, just a phantom touch of support.

The omegas walk to the fire and then stand in front of Chanyeol, all of them presenting themselves as possible mates, all of them beautiful in their own way. Yet, all of them knowing. As Chanyeol heads to the first omega, a young girl called Yeri, she bows and he nods. He observes them all. He stands in front of Jongdae, who raises an eyebrow at him, a smirk on his lips. Chanyeol glances where Lu Han is anxiously waiting. “No,” he whispers to Jongdae, even if he nods when Jongdae bows. The omega giggles before he can’t stop himself, breaking the spell of seriousness.

Chanyeol stops in front of Jongin to do the same.The omega looks up at him from under his eyelashes, a shyness that Chanyeol has only been able to see a few times. He wants to touch his hand, run his fingers along his arm; but all he does is nod when Jongin bows. He keeps going. There are more omegas to see.

He could have let the decision to this very moment. Yet, he chose to spend weeks courting Jongin. So, it’s only natural that once he’s done with the protocol, he steps again in front of his future mate.

“Be my mate.” Although it’s supposed to be a command, Chanyeol and Jongin, and Minseok, know it’s a question and a desire at the same time.

“Yes, Alpha.” The words that leave Jongin’s mouth make Chanyeol feel like he’s floating.

The other omegas step away; Chanyeol doesn’t pay attention to their expressions or reactions, because all he can see is the fire lighting Jongin’s dark skin from behind. The smile that forms in his mouth reaches his eyes, and it’s one of the most beautiful things Chanyeol has ever seen. The omega tilts his head to the side, slowly, the dark look in his eyes smoldering Chanyeol to take action. He holds Jongin’s shoulders and leans forward. First, he takes a deep breath of cedarwood, a scent he’s learned to love as much as sandalwood. Then, he pulls out his fangs. When he slides them over Jongin’s skin, he hears the omega whimper quietly. Chanyeol wants it, and so does Jongin. He breaks the skin with all of his teeth, catching Jongin as the omega falls forward into his arms. He licks the wound, stepping back from the fire, until arms come out of nowhere to help him keep Jongin up. He lifts his head and sees the loving eyes of his first mate.

 

[***]

 

The whine that leaves Jongin’s mouth as Chanyeol lays him down on the furs is what makes the alpha kiss him with all the desire he’s had to contain in the last few days, since they kissed by the river. Jongin sighs into his mouth when Chanyeol’s hands hold his waist. He covers Jongin with his body and feels the omega wriggling in need under him, hands tugging Chanyeol’s hair. When he opens his mouth and their tongues meet, a moan is heard; it could be from any of them. Chanyeol sucks on Jongin’s tongue and Jongin’s hips thrust up. He can feel the omega’s hard cock on his hip, rubbing itself on Chanyeol, spreading precome, making a mess. From the growing impatience in Jongin’s actions, Chanyeol can tell that his heat is starting.

Another moan from Jongin when Chanyeol bites his lips, and Chanyeol takes the omega’s cock and strokes it. Jongin breaks the kiss, panting loudly; his head falls back and it leaves his neck exposed. All that skin left for Chanyeol to taste. His claim mark is still fresh. Chanyeol runs his mouth over his throat, stopping to suck on his adam’s apple as he keeps moving his hand over Jongin’s cock, spreading more precome to make it easier. A particularly hard suck right behind Jongin’s ear brings out a quiet moan from the omega and when Chanyeol moves to suck on the lobe, Jongin comes with an unexpected loud cry.

Jongin looks up at him, hair all messy, sweat on his forehead and a very satisfied look in his eyes. The sight makes Chanyeol want him even more, cover his entire body in marks, greedily take everything Jongin’s got to offer. 

“Alpha,” comes Jongin’s hoarse voice.

Chanyeol first replies with kisses on his cheek, neck, collarbones, before he speaks. “Jongin.”

“Please.” Chanyeol can read what Jongin’s asking for in his eyes. The omega traps his own lower lip and releases it. The gesture fits Jongin. And Chanyeol lowers his head again to kiss him; he doesn’t think he could ever get tired of it.

One of Jongin’s hand grabs his neck to keep him in place, while the other slides over Chanyeol’s stomach until it reaches his cock, reminding him how hard he is. Jongin gasps and breaks the kiss. Chanyeol finds pride in his surprise. It’s much better than when Minseok and him first had sex. 

“Yeah. Not only is he big, but he’s also a grower,” a new voice comes from another place in the tent and Chanyeol suddenly remembers his mate is there with them. Jongin and him seem to be in the same state of shock, even if they’ve entered the tent with Minseok. When they look at him, Minseok smirks. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he says, with a gesture for them to keep going.

His mate is sitting cross-legged, leaning against the pelt, and one of his hands is on his thigh, really close to his own hard cock. Chanyeol groans at the sight. He feels partly guilty for not tending to his mate, for leaving him like that on his own. But from under him, Jongin moans and, when Chanyeol turns to him, he’s looking at Minseok.

“Uhm…” Chanyeol wants to bring the attention back to his hard cock. “Jongin,” he whispers. And then omega turns back to him, eyes really dark, still hazy from the orgasm that dirtied Chanyeol’s hand.

“Chanyeol.” He’s pleading.

“Turn around,” Chanyeol says and from the way Jongin obeys, it may have been a command.

Jongin pushes him in a rush to kneel on the floor and show the expanse of his back, all that dark skin still untouched. Sitting on his calves, Chanyeol stares in awe. The roundness of his exposed ass calls him to touch the skin reverently. When one of his hands lands softly on Jongin’s lower back, the omega lowers his chest and it makes his ass perk up. Chanyeol groans and runs his hand down, covering the globe and squeezing it. Jongin’s natural lubricant drips from his rim and it runs down his thigh.

“Please,” Jongin moans, reminding Chanyeol what he has to do.

“Sorry.” Chanyeol’s apology comes accompanied by a finger entering Jongin. The omega keens in pleasure. Chanyeol enjoys touching the walls inside his new mate, searching for that spot that can make Jongin cry out. When one finger becomes two, he runs them over the walls until he finds it. Jongin falls forward gasping, his cheek hits the floor as he clenches around Chanyeol’s fingers.

In a second, Minseok joins them, sitting in front of Jongin, pulling him up carefully and laying Jongin’s head on his thigh. Chanyeol sees Minseok’s soft eyes from where he is. His mate brushes Jongin’s hair off his face, the same way he sometimes does to Chanyeol, and whispers, “You’re doing great, Jongin.”

Chanyeol feels Jongin clenching again and goes back to his task, adding another finger. He spread them, opening Jongin carefully, getting him ready. The omega’s squirming, and the moans leaving his throat letting Chanyeol know he’s doing a good job. When he looks up, Minseok looks at him approvingly and Chanyeol can’t help but grin at him.

“I’m ready, I’m ready,” Jongin pants.

Minseok pulls his head up to look him in the eyes; and, whatever he’s looking for, he finds it, because he then nods at Chanyeol.

“Okay.” Chanyeol’s voice is strained from all the effort of holding his arousal at bay. Jongin’s pleasure and comfort is a priority to both Minseok and him.

He places himself in between Jongin’s slick asscheeks and runs his cock over the skin, then strokes himself to spread the lubricant. Once he’s ready, he holds Jongin’s waist carefully, afraid to bruise him. 

“Come on!” Minseok urges him while Jongin’s rim clenches around nothing.

“I…” Chanyeol hesitates. “I’m afraid I might come too soon.” His cocks throbs.

Minseok laughs loudly. Jongin lets out a quiet chuckle then breathes out, “I don’t care. Do it.”

When Chanyeol finally breaches Jongin’s rim, he hears Minseok’s cry. He looks at his face to see him wincing and notices that Jongin’s gripping his thighs tightly. Chanyeol keeps going, feeling how hard Jongin squeezes around him. It’s so tight, he feels he’s going to cry, or come. He finally bottoms out, and realizes he’d been holding his breath. Judging from the way Jongin relaxes, he’d been doing it too.

He starts to move slowly, pulling out, but not completely, minimum movement until Jongin starts to loosen up. He can tell when Jongin’s ready for more when the omega moans low in his throat and wiggles his ass a bit. Chanyeol’s cock throbs and he bites his lip. He pulls out, leaving the crown inside and pushes back in hard, bringing Jongin down, back on Minseok’s lap. His first mate no longer looks worried or pained and it drives Chanyeol to speed up, to thrust hard and fast into Jongin until the omega’s noises escalate.

Minseok leans forward, around Jongin’s side, and takes his abandoned cock to stroke and help him. 

Chanyeol knot is forming at the base of his cock, and whenever he pushes forwards it hits Jongin’s rim. ”Knot me,”Jongin moans, and Chanyeol stops thrusting and pushes his cock into Jongin until his knot passes the rim. He moves a bit, making sure that, as it keeps growing, it touches Jongin’s walls. Surprising him, Jongin clenches again. It’s what makes the omega come with a cry, his walls pressing Chanyeol’s cock until all Chanyeol can do is follow Jongin and come too. 

He falls forward onto his new mate’s back, wrapping an arm around him, and tries to catch his breath. His hand slides upwards to feel Jongin’s heart beat inside his chest, and he nuzzles Jongin’s neck, breathing in the scent of cedarwood. He only becomes aware now of how intense it got during sex.

A hand is placed on his shoulder and he looks up at Minseok. His mate taps him and Chanyeol gets it. He falls slowly to the side, taking Jongin down with him. Still locked, they lay down on the dirty furs. Jongin turns his face to the side, and Chanyeol leans to kiss him again. It’s just a short, closed mouthed kiss, but Chanyeol’s hand is still on Jongin’s chest and he can tell how much Jongin likes it. 

When he glances at his other mate, Minseok is looking at both of them with a kind smile. “You did come quite fast,” he teases and Chanyeol groans hiding his face in between Jongin’s shoulder blades. Chanyeol can feel his laughter resonating on his back. He kisses the spot of skin where his mouth is and Jongin’s laughter becomes a sigh.

“Jongin, you should sleep. I’ll get you water for when you wake up, ok?” Minseok speaks then caressing Jongin’s cheek. The omega hums satisfied, but says nothing. After a few minutes, Minseok looks at Chanyeol and mouths, “He’s asleep.” Chanyeol nods.

More time passes in silence until Chanyeol’s knot shrinks enough for him to pull out. He groans when he picks himself from the furs, his muscles sore from the exertion of sex. Minseok shushes him and glares.

“He’s not a baby, you know,” Chanyeol mutters.

“I know.” Minseok’s still looking at Jongin fondly, though. “How was it?” He asks Chanyeol.

He doesn’t know what to reply. “Well… you saw it.”

“And it was really hot.” Minseo bites his lip. “I wanna join you next time.”

“Oh!” Chanyeol looks down at Minseok’s now soft cock. “You…”

“No, I didn’t come.”

“I can‒,” he starts to suggest, but Minseok cuts him off with a wave of his hand.

“Focus on Jongin. He needs it more than me.” Then, he grins widely at him. 

Chanyeol feels at ease that Minseok looks fine with everything, so he leans over a sleeping Jongin to capture Minseok’s mouth with his. He wants to whisper how much he loves him; he’s said it so many times, Minseok already knows. “I love you,” Chanyeol tells him, and Minseok smiles. Chanyeol looks down at Jongin, knowing that it won’t be long until he starts saying those same words to Jongin. 

 

[***]

 

The scent of sandalwood and cedarwood don’t clash; even if they blend together, they’re still distinguishable. Chanyeol breathes in, letting both scents fill his lungs to start the day. He groans quietly and stretches his arms above his head. There are no bodies around him, though, and he becomes aware of the chill of the morning entering the tent. A low moan breaks the silence. Chanyeol realizes that there was no silence. When he opens his eyes, he sees Minseok with his head between Jongin’s legs. With the lewd sounds of his first mate sucking his second mate off, Chanyeol becomes more alert and his interest in the sight travels down his body.

“Mmm.” When Jongin’s having sex, his voice sounds a lot deeper than when he speaks normally, as Chanyeol discovered last night.

Minseok seems focused only on bringing Jongin to the edge. Chanyeol already knows all of Minseok's tricks. His attention is captured by Jongin’s furrowed eyebrows and bitten lips. All of his muscles stand out; he looks so tense, as if he’s trying to control his impulses. Barely lifting from the ground, he’s clenching his ass. Chanyeol wants to crawl closer and push him down, help him relax. But judging from the sounds that leave his mouth, he’s probably close to orgasm.

Minseok can tell better. His grip on Jongin’s thighs tightens and the moment the omega in heat comes, his arms circle Jongin’s legs to keep him in place. After Jongin cries out, Chanyeol can hear Minseok’s loud swallowing.

By the time both omegas separate, Jongin plopping down, closing his eyes, and Minseok leaning back on his calves, Chanyeol is fully hard, itching to touch himself. The first one to notice him is Minseok, who smirks. He seems very pleased with Jongin’s debauched look. 

“Good morning,” he greets with a hoarse voice. 

Jongin opens his eyes then. A pleased smile plays on his lips. There’s the sound of Minseok moving close to Chanyeol, who turns to face him, takes Minseok’s jaw with his hands and kisses him deeply, as a ‘good morning’ and as a ‘thank you’. He then leans forward and kisses Jongin. “Good morning,” he whispers into Jongin’s mouth.

Minseok laughs when Chanyeol pulls away. “Now that you’re joining us,” he says, gesturing at Jongin. “He needs your knot again.”

Chanyeol nods eagerly, and Jongin’s breathy laugh sounds beautiful in the morning. He takes Chanyeol’s hand as the alpha places himself in the space left by Minseok. Chanyeol looks down and sees that Jongin is open and ready. He doesn’t take longer than a second to push inside of Jongin. This time, he can see Jongin’s face while he fucks him. The omega is sweaty, hair a total mess, lips painfully swollen. But his eyes, they’re dark and hooded and they’re asking Chanyeol to start moving. Chanyeol fucks him hard, holding onto his legs, lifting him from the floor and thrusting deeper. Jongin grips the furs, while Minseok watches. 

When Jongin turns to look at Minseok, he whines and Chanyeol’s first mate leans down to kiss him. Mesmerized by it, Chanyeol’s moves are automatic. One of Minseok’s hands moves down Jongin’s body and pinches one of his dark nipples. At that moment, Chanyeol’s knot breaches through Jongin’s rim and stays inside. He pushes upwards trying to rub the right spot on Jongin’s walls and when he finds it, the omega cries out. Minseok leaves his mouth and starts sucking on the other nipple. It’s not long before Jongin’s coming and splattering translucent white all over his own stomach. Chanyeol keeps moving, feeling the way his knot swells even more. Minseok drops his attention from Jongin’s nipples and turns to look at Chanyeol. There’s a glint of mischief in his eyes that makes Chanyeol’s hips stutter. Confused, he keeps thrusting and finds his pace again. Then, Minseok runs a finger down Jongin’s stomach gathering some of his come and brings the finger to his lips. He moans as he sucks it and Chanyeol loses it. He comes unexpectedly, pressing his hips further into Jongin, quick, short thrusts as his cock pulses and fills Jongin’s hole with his come. He can barely hear Minseok’s amused laugh.

Minseok lifts himself up and Chanyeol can see Jongin’s beautiful face. He leans forward, kisses him again and sighs as he basks in their post-sex cuddles. Jongin runs a hand over his back. Laughter builds up in Jongin’s chest, vibrating and coming out easily.

“He’s very easy to rile up,” Minseok says. Chanyeol hides his face on Jongin’s neck, breathing in deeply.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” he threatens Minseok weakly.

“Can’t wait.” Minseok looks downright challenging.

“I didn’t expect you guys to be like this,” Jongin suddenly says.

Chanyeol lifts up his head in question. “Like what?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Teasing each other so much. Are you always this much fun?”

Minseok nods, smiling. Chanyeol wants to break away from Jongin to throw Minseok on the floor and cover his face in kisses, but he’s still knotted.

“Jongin,” he says, calling the attention of the omega under him. “You don’t mind if I take care of Minseok, do you?” As he says it, he glances at Minseok’s half hard cock. Jongin shakes his head. 

Crawling forward, Minseok stays on his knees right next to him. Chanyeol lifts his arm and runs his hand up Minseok’s thigh. He slides his hand around his hip, grabbing his asscheek and squeezing. Minseok appreciates the gesture with a responding moan. His hooded eyes are caught on Chanyeol’s face.

Once his knot shrinks enough, Chanyeol pulls out, leaving Jongin empty, who whines, pout on his lips. “I’ll come back to you soon,” he promises. Having two mates might be a challenge for his stamina.

“Come here,” Minseok pulls him down on the furs and crawls on top of him. He rubs his ass over Chanyeol’s hardening cock, teasing him enough to build his arousal again. Chanyeol runs his hands over his legs, hips, reaches his ribs, then brings them down again, all the while, his eyes are focused on Minseok. His mate smiles and brings his own hand to his back. His eyes flutter and he bites his lip. While Minseok prepares himself, Chanyeol takes a quick look at Jongin who’s mouth is hanging open, eyes focused on where Minseok’s hand disappears. 

When Minseok is ready, he places himself right on top of Chanyeol’s stiff cock and sinks down. It’s a bit tighter than Jongin, because he’s had less preparation. But Minseok can take it. He settles on Chanyeol’s lap and with a final smirk, he starts riding him. His cock bounces in between his legs, staining his abs with precome whenever it touches the skin. Chanyeol takes it in his hand and strokes it in sync with Minseok’s movements. It doesn’t take long for Minseok to come like that; his arousal had a lot of built up before Chanyeol could even bury his knot in him. As Minseok’s orgasm comes to an end, his pace slows down, and Chanyeol takes charge. Placing his feet on the ground, he pushes his hips up and thrusts deep into a panting Minseok, who looks at him with satiated eyes.

“Come on,” his mate whispers.

Chanyeol reacts to it as if it were a command, and comes for the second time this morning. His knot keeps his come inside Minseok. His mate keeps himself up with hands on Chanyeol’s chest, rubbing him soothingly as Chanyeol catches his breath. There’s a moment in which they stare at each other in silence. Chanyeol’s hand cups Minseok’s cheek and his mate turns to kiss his fingers.

“That was…” Jongin clears his throat. “Wow.”

Minseok chuckles and calls Jongin forward. “You can try it too. Later.” He places his hand on Jongin’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Jongin replies quietly. “I don’t know if it’s the heat or the image of both of you, though.” He says gesturing down at his hard cock.

Chanyeol’s head falls back and it hits the floor. “You’re both going to kill me.” 

 

[***]

 

Two days pass before Chanyeol can leave the tent. Jongin's heat got more intense on the second day and Chanyeol found himself victim of the omega's needs. It was common to see Minseok come and go, bringing water or food or leaving with some dirty furs to clean. His mate grinned at Chanyeol every time the alpha was knot deep inside of Jongin when he walked in. But Chanyeol couldn't feel embarrassed, not when Jongin whined quietly asking him to go harder. After two days, both Jongin and Chanyeol were covered in scratches and all sorts of marks. Minseok's skin, on the other hand, was as smooth as ever, save for the bruises of Chanyeol's hands on his waist, but only because Minseok asked for them.

Chanyeol stretches his body upwards and gets rid of the cricks in his neck. Minseok's nagging is the reason he's now going to the river to bathe himself before he starts tending to his responsibilities as the Alpha.

After cleaning himself, Chanyeol wanders around the place. The scent of the pack as a whole feels a little bit sweeter; many omegas are about to go into heat. There are some that already can't be seen. Chanyeol pays close attention, while he greets all the wolves he encounters on his way to the Council's tent.

"There you are!" Yifan struggles to walk up to him as his full belly causes him to lose balance. "Heats have started," he tells Chanyeol, before he looks down his body and notices all the traces Jongin's left on his skin. He raises an eyebrow at him, a little smirk on the side of his mouth. "We need you to check on the pack."

Chanyeol swallows and nods. He's been expecting to be called for this sort of thing, but he was so distracted by his own omegas, he forgot about his duties. "Which omegas have started?"

"Yeri, but she's dealing with it alone. I'm taking care of her." Yifan's got his hand rubbing circles on his belly. The hands stops on the underside and Chanyeol looks up to find him wincing. "This one's a kicker," Yifan explains him. "There's also Joohyun."

A body clashes into Chanyeol whose natural reaction is to grip the person's arm, pulling them dow to the ground.

"OW! OW!" Sehun whines.

"Be careful," Chanyeol tells him before releasing him.

"I was looking for you too." Yifan looks at Sehun. "Joohyun called for your help."

For a few moments of silence, Sehun gapes at the omega. "But... I'm a beta."

Yifan shrugs. "She called your name."

Chanyeol turns to his friend. "Have you been courting her?" In his mind, he tries to bring flashes of memories of Joohyun and Sehun together but nothing comes to mind. "Then, why...?"

"Uhm... I honestly don't know." Sehun can't mask how pleased he is about this, when his red ears and pink cheeks tell Chanyeol everything. Slowly, he faces Chanyeol. "Can I go?"

Chanyeol takes some time to ponder on it. Sehun's more than a good friend; he's a good wolf. "You have my permission." Sehun nods frantically. "But you can't claim her." Chanyeol uses his deep voice to show it's an order and Sehun gets it, lowering his head in a bow.

Then, Yifan takes Sehun away in direction to Joohyun's tent. It leaves Chanyeol's path free to the Council. The elders agreed to keep on tending to the packs needs while Jongin was in heat. As Chanyeol sees the tent closer, his way in once again interrupted.

"Chanyeol. Alpha." Lu Han corrects himself instantly. He's biting his lip and there's an urgency in his body that unsettles Chanyeol.

"What's wrong?" Chanyeol places a hand on Lu Han's shoulder.

The alpha rubs his hands nervously. "Jongdae..." All he has to do is say his name for Chanyeol to understand.

"In heat?" Lu Han nods. "You need my permission." Chanyeol sighs, body already tired of doing this. He feels like crawling back to Jongin and Minseok's side. "Go. Just go."

Lu Han grins, eyes shining brightly, before he turns serious again. "Can I...?"

"You can claim him, if he agrees. We need more pups. Jongdae will surely be happy." Chanyeol dismisses him with a push and a loud laugh as he looks at the blushing alpha sprinting towards Jongdae's tent. “Any other heats?" He mutters.

He's standing right at the entrance of the tent. The elders seem to be inside as the noises he can hear tell him. He stretches his arm, about to push the pelt, when a loud voice calls his name. The lack of disrespect in the use of his name and not his new rank is not as annoying as Baekhyun's voice itself.

"What do you want?" Chanyeol turns around rolling his eyes. In front of him, he finds Baekhyun's not alone. Yixing's a step behind, being pulled by the hand. "Hey, Yixing."

"We came for permission." Baekhyun curtly says. His attention is clearly more focused on the other alpha. Yixing frees his hand and caresses Baekhyun's arm.

It was easier to allow Lu Han and Jongdae to mate. An alpha and an omega is beneficial for the pack; it needs to grow. In front of him, two alphas stand expecting his answer. Chanyeol takes in the worried curl of Yixing's eyebrows and the tension in Baekhyun's smile. Their hands are linked again. Chanyeol sees Yixing's hand squeeze Baekhyun in reassurance and comes to a decision.

"You will protect the pack in other ways. You can claim each other." Before the two alphas can celebrate, though, he adds, "but you have to wait until the heats are over and the rest of the wolves go back to their respective work for the pack. We need you both at your best to care for all, while other alphas and betas are occupied."

Baekhyun's about to protest, but Yixing covers his mouth. "Thank you, Alpha." He bows and forces Baekhyun to do the same.

After the pair leaves him, Chanyeol looks around to see if anyone else is going to stop him from entering the tent. Wolves and humans walk around in between all the tents, all of them greeting him with a bow or a smile, but no one comes to talk to him. He's free to take care of other tasks.

 

[***]

 

Summer will be over soon. The woods are richer in plants and animals and everything they needs to survive. Chanyeol takes in everything that surrounds him, the smell of the trees and flowers, the sounds of the pack, the soft ground under his feet, fresh from last night’s rain.

Kyungsoo guides some helpers to set vessels full of seeds on the ground, while Minseok is in charge of the rest of the food. 

“They’ll be here any minute,” Jongin murmurs behind him. His voice is so quiet, it seems it wasn’t meant to be heard.

Chanyeol turns around to smile at his mate. “Are you nervous?” He walks up to Jongin and puts his arm around his shoulders pulling him into a hug. Jongin shakes his head against Chanyeol’s neck. The alpha chuckles before leaning down and kissing his temple. “Do you miss them?”

“Sometimes,” Jongin replies, pulling away. One of his hands stays on Chanyeol’s waist and the other is placed under his own belly. It’s noticeably rounder. Chanyeol covers Jongin’s hand with his own and looks into his eyes. “I’m here now, and I’m fine.”

“More than fine, right?” Chanyeol links their fingers.

“More than fine, yes,” Jongin whispers. His smile is blinding.

“Hey! Love wolves!” Minseok startles them both. “Come here to help,” he’s calling them with a gesture. “Not you, Jongin,” he says when he sees the omega walking up to him. “You rest.”

Chanyeol pouts at his first mate. “Me?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Minseok takes a vessel to carry it to the other side of the camp.

“Why do you give me orders if I’m the Alpha?” Chanyeol’s whining stops when he hears Jongin’s giggle. He sighs and moves to help the rest of the pack.

Jongin joins them, although he does no heavy lifting. He watches on the side and Chanyeol feels the sudden need to impress. Minseok stops him from making a fool of himself by slapping his butt.

Someone whispers something near Chanyeol and he turns to the side where the woods begin. A group of people can be seen arriving. A murmur starts in Chanyeol’s pack; everyone’s ready for the trade. The newcomers bring their own goods. It’s something their packs have done for years.

Chanyeol feels a presence behind him.

“There’s Taemin!” comes Jongin’s excited voice.

“After the trade, you can catch up with him,” Minseok tells him. “He’s gonna love your pups.”

Chanyeol steps forward in order to greet the newcomers and introduce himself as the Alpha.

“They’re yours too,” he hears from behind. He glances back at his mates and finds Jongin placing Minseok’s hand on his belly. With his other hand, Jongin lifts Minseok’s head, and Chanyeol sees the emotions playing in his eyes. Jongin’s thumb rubs Minseok’s chin.

Chanyeol has to focus again on the newcomers. He doesn’t see whether Minseok and Jongin kiss, but Chanyeol hears Minseok’s pleased sigh before stepping forward.


End file.
